WEE County residents only have a few weeks left to have their say on Clackmannanshire Council's budget.

The local authority is currently facing an cumulative indicative funding gap of around £12.671 million for the 2016-17 financial year.

In order to help inform the decision-making process for balancing the budget, people can take part in the consultation which runs until Saturday, January 24.

Although savings have been made in the past few years, the council is still facing a substantial funding gap over the next three years.

Those living in Clacks have already been using an online interactive budget simulator to share their thoughts on priorities for spending and saving.

A series of consultation discussions have also taken place with groups within the community.

Council leader Les Sharp is appealing to residents to make their opinions heard.

He said: "The council wants to know your views on spending and saving the budget, and the innovative budget simulator is a new way for the council to get that important feedback from residents and organisations in Clackmannanshire.

"I have been out in the community along with my colleagues holding consultation events with local groups and organisations to discuss the hard choices that have to be made to balance the budget.

"In the remaining few weeks of the consultation, I'd encourage everyone to get online and share your thoughts and priorities so that councillors have as much information as possible to help them make these important and difficult decisions."

The council is required by law to provide certain services like social work, education, planning and environmental health.

It also provides or subsidises a wide range of other services such as buses, CCTV, community safety, countryside and heritage management and business development.

Council officers have produced a number of business cases which put forward other potential areas for budget savings and these are available online.  

They outline possible changes, savings to be made and any impact that could result from them.

These, along with the simulator, budget booklet and online survey, can be accessed via ClacksWeb.

Staff in local council offices can help if people don't have the use of a computer.

Views can also be given to councillors or community councillors, or write to MCB, Clackmannanshire Council, Kilncraigs, Greenside Street, Alloa.

When the consultation ends, the data and feedback from the activities will form part of the information used by councillors who will make the budget decisions in the coming weeks.